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Murdoch TJ, Quienne B, Pinaud J, Caillol S, Martín-Fabiani I. Understanding associative polymer self-assembly with shrinking gate fluorescence correlation spectroscopy. NANOSCALE 2024; 16:12660-12669. [PMID: 38888295 DOI: 10.1039/d4nr00737a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
The self-assembly of polymers is integral to their role in liquid formulations. In this study, we combine a dye whose lifetime is sensitive to the nanoviscosity of its local environment with shrinking gate fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (sgFCS) to study the self-assembly of a model telechelic polymer, hydrophobically modified ethoxylated urethane (HEUR). Fluorescence lifetime measurements show a monotonic increase in average lifetime with increasing HEUR concentration driven by a small fraction of dye (<1%) with long lifetimes strongly bound to HEUR. Despite this small fraction, sgFCS isolates the diffusional dynamics of the bound fraction with no a priori assumptions as to the distribution of lifetimes. Sensitivity is greatly enhanced compared to standard FCS, revealing micellar aggregates forming between 0.2 and 1 wt% followed by formation of a percolated network. This sgFCS approach, which we apply for the first time to polymers in this work, is readily extendable to any dye that changes lifetime on binding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy J Murdoch
- Department of Materials, Loughborough University, LE11 1RJ Loughborough, UK.
| | | | - Julien Pinaud
- ICGM, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, ENSCM, Montpellier, France
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2
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Fan Y, Sun H. Manipulation of Bowl-Shaped Nanoparticles Self-Assembled from a Bipyridine Pendant Containing Homopolymer. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2024; 40:5828-5836. [PMID: 38456904 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c03712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
The morphological control and transformation of soft nanomaterials are critical for their physical and chemical properties, which can be achieved by dynamically regulating the hydrophilicity of amphiphilic polymers during self-assembly. Herein, an amphiphilic homopolymer poly(N-(2,2'-bipyridine)-4-acrylamide) (PBPyAA) with bipyridine pendants is synthesized, and the effect of various parameters including initial concentration, temperature, pH, and metal ion coordination on the self-assembly behavior and morphology of the assemblies is investigated. Upon changing the initial concentration of PBPyAA, bowl-shaped nanoparticles (BNPs) with precisely controlled diameter, opening size, and thickness are obtained. With the decrease of pH of the solution, the negatively charged surface of BNPs transforms to a positively charged state. Furthermore, the addition of divalent metal ions (Co2+, Mn2+, and Zn2+) induces the transformation of BNPs to vesicles and giant vesicles. The effect of the above factors on the morphology of the assemblies is essential to change the hydrophilicity of PBPyAA dynamically, leading to variation of the local viscosity during self-assembly. Overall, manipulation of the structural parameters of BNPs and transformation of BNPs to vesicles are achieved, providing fresh insights for the precise control of the morphologies of soft nanomaterials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yirong Fan
- State Key Laboratory of High-Efficiency Coal Utilization and Green Chemical Engineering, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China
| | - Hui Sun
- State Key Laboratory of High-Efficiency Coal Utilization and Green Chemical Engineering, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China
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3
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Wu X, Barner-Kowollik C. Fluorescence-readout as a powerful macromolecular characterisation tool. Chem Sci 2023; 14:12815-12849. [PMID: 38023522 PMCID: PMC10664555 DOI: 10.1039/d3sc04052f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The last few decades have witnessed significant progress in synthetic macromolecular chemistry, which can provide access to diverse macromolecules with varying structural complexities, topology and functionalities, bringing us closer to the aim of controlling soft matter material properties with molecular precision. To reach this goal, the development of advanced analytical techniques, allowing for micro-, molecular level and real-time investigation, is essential. Due to their appealing features, including high sensitivity, large contrast, fast and real-time response, as well as non-invasive characteristics, fluorescence-based techniques have emerged as a powerful tool for macromolecular characterisation to provide detailed information and give new and deep insights beyond those offered by commonly applied analytical methods. Herein, we critically examine how fluorescence phenomena, principles and techniques can be effectively exploited to characterise macromolecules and soft matter materials and to further unravel their constitution, by highlighting representative examples of recent advances across major areas of polymer and materials science, ranging from polymer molecular weight and conversion, architecture, conformation to polymer self-assembly to surfaces, gels and 3D printing. Finally, we discuss the opportunities for fluorescence-readout to further advance the development of macromolecules, leading to the design of polymers and soft matter materials with pre-determined and adaptable properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingyu Wu
- School of Chemistry and Physics, Centre for Materials Science, Queensland University of Technology (QUT) 2 George Street Brisbane QLD 4000 Australia
| | - Christopher Barner-Kowollik
- School of Chemistry and Physics, Centre for Materials Science, Queensland University of Technology (QUT) 2 George Street Brisbane QLD 4000 Australia
- Institute of Nanotechnology (INT), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen Germany
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4
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Hahn L, Zorn T, Kehrein J, Kielholz T, Ziegler AL, Forster S, Sochor B, Lisitsyna ES, Durandin NA, Laaksonen T, Aseyev V, Sotriffer C, Saalwächter K, Windbergs M, Pöppler AC, Luxenhofer R. Unraveling an Alternative Mechanism in Polymer Self-Assemblies: An Order-Order Transition with Unusual Molecular Interactions between Hydrophilic and Hydrophobic Polymer Blocks. ACS NANO 2023; 17:6932-6942. [PMID: 36972400 PMCID: PMC10100562 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c00722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Polymer self-assembly leading to cooling-induced hydrogel formation is relatively rare for synthetic polymers and typically relies on H-bonding between repeat units. Here, we describe a non-H-bonding mechanism for a cooling-induced reversible order-order (sphere-to-worm) transition and related thermogelation of solutions of polymer self-assemblies. A multitude of complementary analytical tools allowed us to reveal that a significant fraction of the hydrophobic and hydrophilic repeat units of the underlying block copolymer is in close proximity in the gel state. This unusual interaction between hydrophilic and hydrophobic blocks reduces the mobility of the hydrophilic block significantly by condensing the hydrophilic block onto the hydrophobic micelle core, thereby affecting the micelle packing parameter. This triggers the order-order transition from well-defined spherical micelles to long worm-like micelles, which ultimately results in the inverse thermogelation. Molecular dynamics modeling indicates that this unexpected condensation of the hydrophilic corona onto the hydrophobic core is due to particular interactions between amide groups in the hydrophilic repeat units and phenyl rings in the hydrophobic ones. Consequently, changes in the structure of the hydrophilic blocks affecting the strength of the interaction could be used to control macromolecular self-assembly, thus allowing for the tuning of gel characteristics such as strength, persistence, and gelation kinetics. We believe that this mechanism might be a relevant interaction pattern for other polymeric materials as well as their interaction in and with biological environments. For example, controlling the gel characteristics could be considered important for applications in drug delivery or biofabrication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Hahn
- Institute
for Functional Materials and Biofabrication, Department of Chemistry
and Pharmacy, Julius-Maximilians-University
Würzburg, Röntgenring 11, 97070 Würzburg, Germany
- Institute
of Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Theresa Zorn
- Center
for Nanosystems Chemistry & Institute of Organic Chemistry, Department
of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Julius-Maximilians-University
Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Josef Kehrein
- Institute
of Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Tobias Kielholz
- Institute
of Pharmaceutical Technology and Buchmann Institute for Molecular
Life Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Anna-Lena Ziegler
- Institute
for Functional Materials and Biofabrication, Department of Chemistry
and Pharmacy, Julius-Maximilians-University
Würzburg, Röntgenring 11, 97070 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Stefan Forster
- Institute
for Functional Materials and Biofabrication, Department of Chemistry
and Pharmacy, Julius-Maximilians-University
Würzburg, Röntgenring 11, 97070 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Benedikt Sochor
- Chair for
X-Ray Microscopy, Julius-Maximilians-University
Würzburg, Josef-Martin-Weg
63, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Ekaterina S. Lisitsyna
- Faculty
of Engineering and Natural Science, Tampere
University, Korkeakoulunkatu 8, 33720 Tampere, Finland
| | - Nikita A. Durandin
- Faculty
of Engineering and Natural Science, Tampere
University, Korkeakoulunkatu 8, 33720 Tampere, Finland
| | - Timo Laaksonen
- Faculty
of Engineering and Natural Science, Tampere
University, Korkeakoulunkatu 8, 33720 Tampere, Finland
- Division
of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 5 E, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Vladimir Aseyev
- Soft
Matter Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Helsinki Institute of Sustainability
Science, Faculty of Science, University
of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Christoph Sotriffer
- Institute
of Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Kay Saalwächter
- Institute
of Physics-NMR, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Betty-Heimann-Str. 7, 06120 Halle, Germany
| | - Maike Windbergs
- Institute
of Pharmaceutical Technology and Buchmann Institute for Molecular
Life Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Ann-Christin Pöppler
- Center
for Nanosystems Chemistry & Institute of Organic Chemistry, Department
of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Julius-Maximilians-University
Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Robert Luxenhofer
- Institute
for Functional Materials and Biofabrication, Department of Chemistry
and Pharmacy, Julius-Maximilians-University
Würzburg, Röntgenring 11, 97070 Würzburg, Germany
- Soft
Matter Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Helsinki Institute of Sustainability
Science, Faculty of Science, University
of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
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Eivgi O, Ravenscroft AC, Blum SA. Imaging Block-Selective Copolymer Solvation. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:2058-2063. [PMID: 36689735 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c12576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Understanding individual-block solvation in self-assembled block copolymer systems is experimentally difficult, but this solvation underpins the assembly and disassembly observed at the bulk scale. Here, covalently attached viscosity-sensitive molecular rotors for fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy uncover and quantitatively elucidate previously undisclosed differential block-selective responses toward solvation changes upon addition of DMSO and THF to self-assembled ROMP-based amphiphilic block copolymers. The sensitivity of this method provides unique information on block-selective solvent-triggered assembly and disassembly mechanisms, revealing behaviors invisible to or with superior sensitivity to traditional 1H NMR spectroscopy. These experiments demonstrate an analytical method and provide a granular mechanistic understanding, both suitable for fine tuning block copolymer assembly and disassembly processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Or Eivgi
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-2025, United States
| | - Alexis C Ravenscroft
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-2025, United States
| | - Suzanne A Blum
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-2025, United States
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Kähärä I, Durandin N, Ilina P, Efimov A, Laaksonen T, Vuorimaa-Laukkanen E, Lisitsyna E. Phototoxicity of BODIPY in long-term imaging can be reduced by intramolecular motion. PHOTOCHEMICAL & PHOTOBIOLOGICAL SCIENCES : OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN PHOTOCHEMISTRY ASSOCIATION AND THE EUROPEAN SOCIETY FOR PHOTOBIOLOGY 2022; 21:1677-1687. [PMID: 35796875 DOI: 10.1007/s43630-022-00250-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
For long-term live-cell fluorescence imaging and biosensing, it is crucial to work with a dye that has high fluorescence quantum yield and photostability without being detrimental to the cells. In this paper, we demonstrate that neutral boron-dipyrromethene (BODIPY)-based molecular rotors have great properties for high-light-dosage demanding live-cell fluorescence imaging applications that require repetitive illuminations. In molecular rotors, an intramolecular rotation (IMR) allows an alternative route for the decay of the singlet excited state (S1) via the formation of an intramolecular charge transfer state (CT). The occurrence of IMR reduces the probability of the formation of a triplet state (T1) which could further react with molecular oxygen (3O2) to form cytotoxic reactive oxygen species, e.g., singlet oxygen (1O2). We demonstrate that the oxygen-related nature of the phototoxicity for BODIPY derivatives can be significantly reduced if a neutral molecular rotor is used as a probe. The studied neutral molecular rotor probe shows remarkably lower phototoxicity when compared with both the non-rotating BODIPY derivative and the cationic BODIPY-based molecular rotor in different light dosages and dye concentrations. It is also evident that the charge and localization of the fluorescent probe are as significant as the IMR in terms of the phototoxicity in a long-term live-cell imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iida Kähärä
- Chemistry and Advanced Materials, Unit of Materials Science and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Tampere University, P.O. Box 541, 33014, Tampere, Finland.
| | - Nikita Durandin
- Chemistry and Advanced Materials, Unit of Materials Science and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Tampere University, P.O. Box 541, 33014, Tampere, Finland
| | - Polina Ilina
- Division of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 56, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Alexander Efimov
- Chemistry and Advanced Materials, Unit of Materials Science and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Tampere University, P.O. Box 541, 33014, Tampere, Finland
| | - Timo Laaksonen
- Chemistry and Advanced Materials, Unit of Materials Science and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Tampere University, P.O. Box 541, 33014, Tampere, Finland
- Division of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 56, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Elina Vuorimaa-Laukkanen
- Chemistry and Advanced Materials, Unit of Materials Science and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Tampere University, P.O. Box 541, 33014, Tampere, Finland
| | - Ekaterina Lisitsyna
- Chemistry and Advanced Materials, Unit of Materials Science and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Tampere University, P.O. Box 541, 33014, Tampere, Finland.
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7
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Husband JT, Xie Y, Wilks TR, Male L, Torrent-Sucarrat M, Stavros VG, O'Reilly RK. Rigidochromism by imide functionalisation of an aminomaleimide fluorophore. Chem Sci 2021; 12:10550-10557. [PMID: 34447549 PMCID: PMC8356812 DOI: 10.1039/d1sc03307g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Fluorescent dyes that exhibit high solid state quantum yields and sensitivity to the mechanical properties of their local environment are useful for a wide variety of applications, but are limited in chemical diversity. We report a trityl-functionalised maleimide that displays rigidochromic behaviour, becoming highly fluorescent when immobilised in a solid matrix, while displaying negligible fluorescence in solution. Furthermore, the dye's quantum yield is shown to be sensitive to the nature of the surrounding matrix. Computational studies reveal that this behaviour arises from the precise tuning of inter- and intramolecular noncovalent interactions. This work expands the diversity of molecules exhibiting solid state environment sensitivity, and provides important fundamental insights into their design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan T Husband
- School of Chemistry, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston Birmingham B15 2TT UK
| | - Yujie Xie
- School of Chemistry, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston Birmingham B15 2TT UK
| | - Thomas R Wilks
- School of Chemistry, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston Birmingham B15 2TT UK
| | - Louise Male
- School of Chemistry, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston Birmingham B15 2TT UK
| | - Miquel Torrent-Sucarrat
- Department of Organic Chemistry I, Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU), Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC) Manuel Lardizabal Ibilbidea 3 Donostia 20018 Spain
- Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science Plaza Euskadi 5 48009 Bilbao Euskadi Spain
| | | | - Rachel K O'Reilly
- School of Chemistry, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston Birmingham B15 2TT UK
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